The present invention relates to surgical drapes and more particularly to fenestrated surgical drapes having split ends.
In recent years, surgical drapes formed primarily of non-woven cellulosic material have almost universally replaced the older and less satisfactory linen drapes. Such drapes have generally been considered far superior to linen drapes because of their effectiveness in blocking the passage of bacteria during use and their disposability after use. However, certain problems relating to contamination of the operative area have impeded the otherwise successful use of non-woven cellulosic material for the construction of surgical drapes.
The importance of surgical draping in providing an aseptic field about a central operative area is well known. It is common practice for many types of surgery to cover the patient and operating table with a sterile drape in such a way that only the portion of the body upon which surgery is to be performed is presented to the surgeon and his assistants. The drape must conform rather closely to the contour of the operative area to insure that a sterile surgical field is maintained until the procedure is completed. It is presently common practice to furnish one of several types of drape constructions and draping procedures in an effort to accomplish this objective. Nevertheless, surgical draping has not been providing the desired degree of nearly complete assurance against contamination of the operative area to effectively preclude post-operative infection.
In an effort to avoid such contamination problems, standard drapes and draping procedures have taken several forms. First, draping procedures have included the use of a standard drape by simply conforming an edge of the drape to the portion of the body upon which surgery is to be performed. This procedure has not proven to be fully satisfactory, however, because it has been difficult to closely conform the edge of a standard drape to the body to maintain a sterile surgical field. Second, draping procedures have included using a conventional laparotomy drape which is fenestrated but does not have split ends. Laparotomy drapes are not well suited for many surgical procedures such as craniotomies and orthopedic surgery, however, because the openings in such drapes generally cannot be made to closely conform to the head or the limb upon which surgery is to be performed to maintain a sterile surgical field. Third, draping procedures have included the use of a split drape by simply conforming a wide opening of the drape having die cut edges to the portion of the body upon which surgery is to be performed. This procedure has not proven to be fully satisfactory, however, because it has been difficult to keep small particles of material from entering the operative area to maintain a sterile surgical field. The three principle drapes and draping procedures heretofore used, particularly in orthopedic and craniotomy surgery, have therefore not been capable of fully utilizing the otherwise significant advantages of surgical drapes formed of non-woven cellulosic material.
The many advantages of surgical drapes formed of non-woven cellulosic material have lead to a search for ways to overcome the problem of contamination of the operative area by the drape constructions or draping procedures previously used. The result has been a number of drapes such as those disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,926,185; 3,667,458; and 3,910,268, but such drapes have generally not been fully successful. The present invention represents a distinct improvement in a fenestrated surgical drape having split end portions which closely conforms to the portion of the body upon which surgery is to be performed and substantially eliminates the possibility of small particles of material entering the operative area to thereby effectively preclude post-operative infection from the drape construction or draping procedure.